The Angel & The One
by Bookaholica
Summary: Slightly AU. UES: A broken girl from a broken home who pretends to be perfect meets a neglected and lonely boy who pretends to be indifferent. Series of one-shots – might not be in chronological order. Chair.
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Gossip Girl or any of the characters. However, I do own the idea for this series of one-shots._**

_I'm flying up so high, my purple majesty displaying__  
I've reached a higher place that no one else can make a claim in  
I'll take you there, my friend, I'm reaching out my hand, so take it  
We are the angels and we are the ones that are praying  
Weezer - The Angel And The One_

Her parents had been yelling and bickering at each other since she was a small girl, so she always thought it was something normal, something that happened in every family. It wasn't until she started sleeping over and spending more time at her friends' houses that she realized how wrong she had been all along.

She was twelve. She wiped her away the moisture in her eyes with one of her many designer silk handkerchiefs and tried to suppress a sob as she once again heard her parents yelling horrible things at each other downstairs. She knew she couldn't cry because doing it would mean having blotchy cheeks and puffy red eyes, but it was too hard to keep her tears at bay.

She was twelve. She rarely ever spent time with her mother since Eleanor was almost always away working or focusing on her career to care about her only daughter anyway; their interactions were limited only to her mother's occasional criticism and sarcastic cold comments about her appearance. She loved her father immensely; he was the only one who seemed like he did like having her around. Together they went every Sunday morning to Central Park and fed the ducks in the pond. He was the one who made Yale be her dream and who always treated her like his little princess.

She was twelve when her father talked to her for the first time about divorcing her mother. Blair's young face had crumpled and she couldn't help the single tear that rolled down her cheek. Harold Waldorf's heart nearly broke as he watched his daughter's reaction. He hated hurting his little girl. He decided to wait a little bit longer, until she was away at college. Harold hugged her tight and thought "Just a little while longer, until she's grown up".

Blair Waldorf was twelve the first time she made herself throw up. It was during her birthday party. Harold was away on a business trip and couldn't fly home because of some tropical storm. Eleanor was in a worse mood than usual, stressed about her juvenile clothing line, and didn't even remember her daughter's birthday. Blair was miserable. Dorota, who had always been like a mother to her, gave her a box of macaroons to try and make her feel better. Blair ate them all and tried had to forget her daddy was away. She had been in middle school and even then, she had a complex of striving for perfection and pleasing the ones around her. Everything she had ever wanted was to please her mother and father.

In school, although she was Queen, the girls were just starting to be interested in boys and Serena Van Der Woodsen suddenly became everyone's hero because she had already kissed many boys and hosted boy/girl parties all the time. Blair, furious about losing her peers' attention, had decided to host her first boy/girl party for her birthday. She befriended Serena, and with her help invited the whole male class from St. Jude's Middle School although she hardly knew any of the boys. Serena arrived early at the Waldorf penthouse to help Blair receive the boys. As soon as Eleanor saw the willowy blonde, she was pleased; she knew she had found the face for her new juvenile clothing line.

Soon, the penthouse was full of loud children and Blair turned to Serena for advice on what to do next; Serena soon took over the party, put on some music and the awkwardness between the boys and girls soon dissolved, all the kids started having fun. Blair was really grateful though she would never admit it. Soon enough it was time for Blair to blow out her candles, all the kids gathered around the huge oak table, all except one. As soon as the lights came back on, everyone sat around the huge living room and ate their piece of chocolate cake. Eleanor decided to check on the kids and glanced around the room; she saw the girl she had chosen as her new model for the juvenile line giggling and surrounded by boys, not eating a piece of cake, Eleanor nodded with approval. Blair noticed her mother and saw her smile, which actually seemed genuine; she followed her mother's stare to Serena and frowned while shoveling a spoonful of cake into her mouth. Eleanor suddenly turned her stare to Blair, her smile immediately disappeared as she regarded her daughter with coldness and… disgust as she took in her daughter's mouth full of cake.

Blair tried to swallow the cake in her mouth but found she couldn't. Eleanor had her hard stare trained on her, almost daring her to swallow. It was too much for Blair; she almost choked and had to go to the bathroom to spit the cake so none of the kids would notice. As she leaned on the toilet, Blair realized she could finally purge everything her mother disapproved and so she introduced a finger into her throat, willing herself to purge everything that disappointed her mother.

She was twelve when she first met him at her birthday party. As soon as she came out of the bathroom, wiping her tears and fanning herself she saw him watching her intently. His dark, bottomless eyes trained on her face. She felt very uncomfortable, like she thought he could sense what had just taken place in the bathroom.

"What are you looking at?" she asked cheekily and when he didn't answer she added. "I don't even remember seeing you at school or inviting you here for that matter. Who are you?"

At this, the boy smirked and finally looked away from her face to allow his eyes to roam over her lithe body.

"I'm Chuck Bass".

**_A/N: Anyone missing Gossip Girl as much as I am?! I came up with this idea and decided to give it a try, so what do you think about it? Don't forget to Review, Follow and Favorite!_**


	2. Chapter 2

_It won't be in vain_

_To swallow all your pain _

_And learn to love what burns_

_And gather courage to return to…_

_The Weeknd - The Devil May Cry_

His oldest memories were always accompanied of a string of diverse foreign nannies, never his father. Except for an occasional trip to Australia to visit his uncle Jack, Chuck Bass' childhood had been plagued by anyone except his closest and only family. He had always felt he was a burden, an obstacle in the career, of the ambitious and rich Bart Bass. It wasn't as if his father didn't comment all the time on how big of a failure he was.

In the boarding school, Chuck was a lonely kid that was feared and avoided by all because of his powerful contacts in and out of the boarding school and the rumors of his father's immense fortune. Everyone tended to keep away from him. Since his childhood, Chuck Bass was completely unused to the feel of being cared about and was often weary of human contact. He had grown to detest most people his age and became an introvert.

He had just turned thirteen when he experienced his first sexual encounter with one of the slutty girls in his boarding school. Chuck had already had some minor sexual experiences before that day, but something he would never confess is that he had never had a first kiss. The name of the girl he did it with that day was Georgina Sparks. Before he realized what was going on, he was pulled by her into a janitor's closet and the door slammed shut behind him. He had is first sexual encounter in complete darkness. At the time, Georgina had figured it was probably best to have a good relationship with the Bass heir since it could come in handy for her at some time in the future. Chuck Bass had found out he had a new favorite activity.

He was thirteen and it was his first time in the city. Every holiday Bart forced him to stay away at his boarding school in Switzerland and every summer, when the school closed down, Bart inevitably sent him away to a secluded camp. This time, his father had requested his presence on the city from September until after Thanksgiving break. Chuck didn't know what this was all about since his father had never shown any interest in his education, or in any aspect of his life for that matter. He wondered what miraculous event occurred that made Bart Bass request time with his son.

As soon as he'd arrived, Bart had started introducing Chuck to many of his business associates and taking him to fancy brunches and dinner parties. Bart Bass was not a family man, no one was fooled by this; even after the newspapers published the exclusive interview and photo shoot of Bart Bass and his only heir, everyone in New York city – and the whole country – knew this was probably just an strategy for publicity to Bass Industries. Chuck hadn't been fooled by this for a minute; the moment he set foot on the private section of the JFK Airport his father had forcibly dragged his arm and warned him against his "embarrassing public behavior" and bringing bad publicity to the stable image of Bass Industries.

He was thirteen when he met Nathaniel Archibald for the first time. Bart Bass had taken him to a brunch hosted by the Vanderbilt family and, seeing a group of blonde boys – probably the Vanderbilt cousins – had forced him to go and make some friends, stating that they could be powerful connections for the Bass family in the future. Chuck had remained in the shadows watching the group of blonde, tanned and muscular boys run around the vast field of the Vanderbilt state. One of the tallest boys approached him suddenly, smiled at him and asked him to join their game since they needed another player to have even teams. Chuck would never confess this to anyone but that afternoon, all sweaty and exhausted; he knew he had found his very first friend.

He was thirteen when he realized he had his very first best friend. After that day at the Vanderbilt state, Nathaniel Archibald and Chuck Bass became inseparable, they often hung out on weekends in which Nate taught him how to play several sports and Chuck taught him how to roll a joint and hold your liquor. Nate was awed at hearing about Chuck's apparently immense experience in women and addicting substances. Chuck became kind of a hero for Nate and Nate became Chuck's closest and most loyal friend.

He was thirteen when he first saw her. Nathaniel had asked him to go with him to the birthday party of this snobby girl from his school. As always, Chuck Bass arrived fashionably late to the Waldorf Penthouse and, since he didn't know any of the kids in the party, remained observant in a corner. A small brunette with perfect porcelain skin, perfect bowed red lips and a headband caught his eye immediately. Soon enough, when the time to sing Happy Birthday came, he noticed that she was the birthday girl. He was intrigued about this little brunette who was bossing everyone around. From the shadows, Chuck observed her as she interacted with the other kids in the penthouse and how she always seemed to want to draw attention from her mother.

He was thirteen when he felt sympathetic towards someone other than himself for the first time. Chuck observed quietly from the shadows Blair and Eleanor's whole silent interaction concerning the cake. He felt a foreign pang in his heart at seeing the little girl's face crumple up when she noticed Eleanor was disappointed at her, he had felt that way several times too. Without thinking, Chuck Bass followed the little brunette out of the living room as quietly as possible and halted at a closed door. He heard how she purged her whole birthday meal, for the first time in her life, in an attempt to regain control over her life and emotions. Chuck watched smirking as she came out of the bathroom, with blushed cheeks and wiping a few tears away. She froze the moment she saw him. She halted right in front of him and stared him down – an almost unmanageable feat since he was taller than her – her big eyes closed down in suspicion. She was the most beautiful and delicate thing he had ever laid eyes upon.

"What are you looking at?" she asked cheekily, Chuck was at a loss of words for the first time in his life and when he didn't answer she added. "I don't even remember seeing you at school or inviting you here for that matter. Who are you?"

At this, Chuck's smirk grew wider as he finally noticed he had been staring at her perfect face intently. He allowed his eyes to roam over her tiny body suggestively and finally focused on her face again. He noticed she had shifted a little and her cheeks were acquiring a rosy tint again. Chuck realized his presence was making her uncomfortable. Chuck Bass was in his comfort zone now.

"I'm Chuck Bass", he answered in the most arrogant tone he could muster.

_**A/N: Thanks to those of you who reviewed! Basileya, Guest1, Guest2, Chair-leader! I am infinitely grateful too to those of you who added this story to their favorites and/or followed. I decided to continue writing the one-shots. And, for anyone who's interested, I am also working on a historical 20th century GG fic! Check it out! It's called "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". Don't forget to review!**_


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

* * *

_I got lost__  
Inside a memory,  
When I was young  
And I almost drowned,  
I was found…_

_… So take all that you know and stuff it in a hole,__  
And in ten thousand years someone will take you home,  
Rewind the words in which you roam…_

_Turin Brakes – Dark on Fire_

A little later after the awkward conversation between Chuck Bass and her outside her bathroom, Blair Waldorf returned to her party as poised and perfect as ever, not a hair out of place. Not a single one of the kids – except Chuck of course – had even noticed her absence since they were still enjoying their pieces of cake. Blair approached the girls who were clustered together in a side of the room, took her rightful place at the head of the group of girls and immediately took charge. They all listened to her intently and followed her instructions unquestioningly. Soon after, Serena and Blair managed to get Eleanor and Dorota out of the living room and the kids were finally able to interact in private.

Blair Waldorf was twelve when she met the love of her life. She had been the last girl to join in the mixed boy-girl group. She had hurried across the living room in an attempt to catch up with her friends when she had lost her footing. Blair was just about to tumble into the floor when someone took her arm and steadied her. When she looked up, the first thing she saw was a beautiful pair of ocean blue eyes. She realized that those eyes belonged to a boy… and a very handsome boy at that – in fact the most handsome boy at the party, Blair realized with awe. She melted when he smiled at her and warned her to be more careful next time. She walked with wobbly feet towards the group as she readjusted her headband and deeply blushed with pleasure when the handsome boy sat down right next to her. Blair Waldorf was twelve when she realized she had found her fairytale prince, the one she would marry and have the happily ever after life she had always dreamed of.

Blair Waldorf was twelve when she started feeling inferior to her best friend. It happened some weeks after her birthday party. Serena had invited some of the girls of their class and a couple of boys from St. Judes to come over to her summer house at the Hamptons to enjoy the last sunrays before winter. As it was expected, and very much to Blair's dismay, Nate Archibald took his new best friend Chuck Bass to the van der Woodsen soiree. Blair couldn't reconcile herself with the idea that the two completely opposite boys were actually best friends and couldn't understand how someone so gentlemanly as Nate could hang out with someone as spoiled and… frustrating as the young Bass heir. Blair arrived early to Serena's summer house and together they tried on their bikinis. The young Waldorf girl couldn't help but feel much diminished next to the very tanned and very developed body of her blonde best friend. Blair looked at both of their reflections in the full body mirror of the bedroom and watched in horror as she realized she looked like a washed-out and pale little girl in contrast to the prematurely busty and bronze-skinned Serena, who managed to look as if she spent every day sunbathing in the beach even if it was already the middle of autumn. Blair started feeling out of control and very nauseous and tried to go to the bathroom and relieve herself by purging when some of her minions and the boys arrived and joined the party.

Blair Waldorf was twelve when she first played spin the bottle. They had been forced to get out of the pool and move inside the summer house when a sudden storm broke and cold rain started pouring down on them mercilessly. Most of the kids left at this point and Serena had gathered the remaining kids left in the comfy rug around the chimney of her living room. Soon, the kids' wet hair was drying near the cozy fire of the hearth and their shivering bodies slowly starting to heat up. Most of the boys and girls were gone and there were only a few of Blair's minions left, Blair, Serena and about five boys – including Nate Archibald, Blair noted with a pleased blush spreading over her pale cheeks. It had been Serena's idea to spend the afternoon playing spin the bottle because, as she had pointed out, they needed an activity to warm themselves; soon enough, the few boys left started elbowing and smirking at each other and Serena plastered a flirty smile on her face as she glanced at them. Blair felt positively nauseous and told her blonde best friend in a whisper that she had never, ever kissed a boy before. Serena's eyebrows shot up in surprise – she didn't even remember her first kiss, it had been with some random boy in kindergarten – and she appeased her brunette best friend by promising that she didn't have to do anything she didn't feel like doing.

- Come on B, we'll have a blast you'll see! – said Serena over her shoulder while she walked over to where the others were already gathered and just waiting for them to start their game.

Blair Waldorf was twelve years old when she allowed herself to be vulnerable and cry in front of someone other than Dorota for the first time in her life. Blair forced a fake smile on her face as she sat down between Serena and Hazel – one of her minions – and looked around nervously, blushing with embarrassment as she noticed how excited all the others were. She looked down, trying to control her emotions; after all, it was just a game. The problem was that Blair Waldorf was a romantic: She had always dreamed about her first kiss and it had involved a romantic setting, solitude and someone who she truly loved and who loved her back… she was in no way excited with the prospect of having her first kiss on the rug near the hearth of Serena's summer house in the Hamptons in a living room full of giggling and hormonal pre-teens and with some random boy. When Serena reached for the bottle to spin it around and start the game, Blair couldn't stand it anymore and excused herself hurriedly, vaguely claiming to have a headache and saying that she needed to rest. Once out of the living room, Blair exhaled loudly and sighed while looking around: she was standing in the middle of the Van Der Woodsen library.

- Why didn't you stay with them? – a voice behind her asked.

Blair whirled around rapidly, her heart beating wildly. She saw a familiar pair of dark, bottomless eyes staring back at her and she felt somewhat sad that they weren't the beautiful pair of ocean blue eyes she was so infatuated with since her birthday. It was Charles Bass' smirking face and unreadable gaze boring into her instead of Nate Archibald's gentle face and solemn expression. She crunched up her nose and avoided looking at his face again.

- Why did you follow me? – she shot back just as quickly.

- I didn't follow you. I just didn't want to play that game either so I came in here – he answered – Chuck Bass doesn't play childish kissing games, he kissed whomever he wants whenever he wants.

Blair's eyebrow shot up and her face acquired a mean expression.

- And does Chuck Bass always refer to himself in third person? – she asked mockingly and was secretly glad when she saw him wince and recede little.

Blair had felt a little bad at being so mean to him but she needed to be alone right now and he was dangerous. She suspected that he already knew far more than he should about her – like that time when they ran into each other after she made herself puke her chocolate birthday cake – and that made her feel uneasy and a little scared. She didn't like sharing her secrets and much less people finding out about them. Because of this, she felt the need to keep Charles Bass as far from her as possible, before he was able to put two and two together and find out about her most recent and shameful secret.

- Just leave. You are not wanted here. – Blair stated coldly and with her best bitch expression.

Chuck didn't move an inch; in fact he stepped closer and closer to her with little steps. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to disobey her. After all, she WAS the Queen. Blair stood taller, daring him and he smirked as he got even closer to her, almost reaching the point where their chests touched. Chuck lowered his face, his dark eyes boring into her chocolate ones and she unconsciously let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

- Why princess? Do I make you uncomfortable? – he asked in a whisper, bending lower to whisper near her ear.

- Not at all. You disgust me. – Blair shot as she took a step backwards and away from him.

Chuck straightened very fast and took a step back, looking at her furiously.

- Well, it's not a secret you are just a silly little girl with a crush on Nathaniel. You disgust me even more. – Chuck spat out cruelly.

That answer hit Blair's pride more than she would have expected. It was the way he had looked at her in despise as he muttered the words "little girl" and "crush". Blair Waldorf lowered her gaze and spoke in a mere whisper.

- You are right. I'm just a silly little girl who doesn't even seem to be mature enough to play a stupid game, who looks like she's eight years old next to her perfect and blonde best friend and who isn't good enough, skinny enough or pretty enough for her mother to ever approve – she choked out the last part as she tried to control the tears running down her cheeks and turned around to retire further into the library.

Blair Waldorf was horrified of having appeared so weak in front of a complete stranger… and to top it all, the same stranger who could suspect about her recent eating disorder. She blushed violently and kept her eyes cast down while she went further into the maze-like bookshelves of the huge library. Soon enough, he was far behind her and she lost sight of him. She was glad he didn't make any attempt to follow her; she didn't think she could stomach pity or much less mockery.

She was sitting on the furthest windowsill, which overlooked the classic garden, and was hugging a pillow close to her chest when she heard footsteps approaching her. She didn't bother to turn around. She was sure it was not him; she knew the boys like him: they bothered you until you showed weakness and then left to brag about it to the others. She was sure she had already lost her status as Queen and vaguely wondered whether Serena was the new Queen and if that was the case, what would her role be?

The footsteps stopped and she felt the weight of someone on the opposite side of the windowsill. That was when she turned to look at whoever had come and her breath hitched. It was Chuck Bass again. She had been just about to release a biting remark or a warning to the annoying boy but the vulnerable look in his dark and usually confident dark eyes warned her against it. Instead she looked out the window again and waited for him to speak first.

- I'm sorry – he said very quietly with a voice quite different to the one he had used before, it was a raw and vulnerable voice.

To say that it was definitely something she hadn't expected to happen was an understatement.

**A/N: Hi guys! So I had a bit of a personal issue recently that completely has me feeling nostalgic and regretful and it inspired me somewhat for this scene. Hope you liked it! It's my longest and favorite one-shot so far. By the way it was my birthday last week and one the best parts of my day was getting the chance to read some of the reviews here and in Every Rose Has Its Thorn! You make me so happy with your supportive comments and your follows and favorites. I am immensely grateful to those of you who keep supporting my writing and also to you, my silent readers.**

**If you have any idea or duggestion for the next one-shot please PM me or comment it in the story and I might use it later! Thanks for reading and please R&R!**


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